An increasing need exists for a simplified and economical means to remotely control lights in the home, office, store and the like. Such a means is highly desirable as an energy-saving means in that many lights which are normally left on when the home owner or worker departs the premises can be extinguished from a remote location with convenience and economy. In this connection the very small transmitter device forming a part of the invention can be carried in a pocket or purse, or in an automobile, so that the building lights can be extinguished remotely after leaving the premises or turned on prior to entering the premises.
Quite obviously, the invention adds greatly to the security and safety of home owners and particularly adds to the safety of elderly people in that doorways and exterior lights around the home can be left on during departure and extinguished when the person is safely outside of the premises. If the home owner should be in the home when an intruder approaches or enters, the remote turning on yard lights or other outside or inside lights will greatly promote the security of the home owner and the insecurity of the intruder. The above are among the principal objectives of the invention and many additional uses or applications of the invention can be visualized. Generally, the invention adds greatly to the convenience of the ordinary home lighting or office lighting system without adding significantly to the cost thereof while simultaneously supplying a safety and security illuminating system, as above-discussed.
The invention features extreme simplicity and economy in that it may be directly wired into a building lighting system during construction or may be added thereto at any time as a portable accessory by plugging into any house current outlet. The entire apparatus consists of a small portable transmitter and a coacting receiver, step-down transformer and relay which may be housed as a unit on a portable embodiment with a suitable extension cord and house current receptacle plug, or without the cord and plug on an embodiment which is wired directly into house wiring. The invention in no way interferes with the normal manual operation of house light switches and may be installed in several different ways to control lights by means of the invention only, or in conjunction with a three-way switch and one or more four-way switches. By the use of additional receivers with the same frequency around the house or building, various lighting circuits can be remotely controlled individually from inside the house or exteriorly. If preferred, all of the inside lights or all outside lights on a given building circuit may be remotely controlled by the invention in terms of a single portable transmitter and a single coacting receiver.
Other features and advantages of the invention will become apparent during the course of the following description.